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06 Oct 2022
Austal USA Cleared to Begin OPC Stage 2 After Eastern Withdraws Protest
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA has been cleared to begin the second stage of the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter (OPC) build program following the withdrawal of an award protest filed by an unsuccessful bidder, the USCG said on Thursday.In June, Austal USA was awarded a $208.26 million contract for detail design and long lead-time material for one OPC, with options for production of up to 10 additional vessels.
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29 Sep 2022
Philly Shipyard Lays Keel for Second NSMV
Philly Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony on Thursday for the second vessel in a series of new purpose built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.The newbuild, to be named Patriot State, is the second of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academies.
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29 Sep 2022
AMP President Slams Jones Act Waiver
The president of a U.S. maritime trade group has slammed a decision by the Biden administration to approve a temporary Jones Act waiver for vessels shipping oil and other essential commodities to Puerto Rico in the wake of hurricane Fiona.“Granting of this waiver rewards calculated and predatory behavior that undermines a dedicated American supply chain for Puerto Rico, and it is a harmful precedent that invites similar cynical stunts by foreign oil traders…
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26 Sep 2022
Philly Shipyard Launches First Training Ship Empire State
The first in a series of new training ships being built for the United States' state maritime academies was launched at Philly Shipyard on Saturday.The newbuild, Empire State VII, is the first of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academies.The newly launched vessel is slated to undergo final outfitting…
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26 Sep 2022
Silverback Marine Brings Fresh Blood—and Ideas—to Boatbuilding
Tacoma, Wash.-based Silverback Marine is a relatively new name in boatbuilding, formed with the tall ambition to “change the way the world thinks about workboats”.“We started Silverback with the vision of essentially bringing, what I would call, the big boat experience to smaller workboats. Enabling people to get a smaller workboat, but also have a real naval architect and engineer go through it—give them renderings…
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22 Sep 2022
Roundtable: North American Naval Architects Weigh In
Marine News spoke to leaders at three North American naval architecture and marine engineering firms about some of the latest trends impacting their business today. Mike Fitzpatrick, president, Robert Allan Ltd.; Jeff Bowles, director, DLBA Naval Architects; and Rich Mueller, president and CEO, NETSCo., weigh in on topics such as digitalization, decarbonization and the naval architect talent pool.How…
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21 Sep 2022
ACBL Planning to Repurpose Jeffboat Site
The city of Jeffersonville, Ind. announced plans are underway to redevelop the shuttered site of one of the nation’s oldest, largest and best-known inland shipbuilders.The city said it is working with the property's owner American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) to develop a master plan for the 80-acre site along the Ohio Riverfront that was once home to Jeffboat. The southern Indiana shipyard was founded…
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21 Sep 2022
ASKO's Electric Self-driving Vessels Christened
Norwegian grocery distributor ASKO announced its two new full-electric, self-driving vessels have been christened.The battery-electric powered RoRo cargo ferries, named Marit and Therese, will cross the Oslo Fjord daily between Moss and Horten, mainly carrying groceries for NorgesGruppen's chains.The groundbreaking vessels, which were designed by Norwegian firm Naval Dynamics and built at Cochin Shipyard in India…
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19 Sep 2022
Marine Group Boat Works: Standing Steady on Four Legs
Ask anyone working in the shipyard business, and they’ll tell you balancing yacht, commercial and government vessel repair work concurrently is no easy task. Add a bit of new construction to the mix, and you’ve got Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW), a Chula Vista, Calif. shipyard that has seemingly mastered the balancing act.“There are a few tricks to the trade,” said MGBW president Todd Roberts, a Cal Maritime graduate with a U.S. Coast Guard license for vessels up to 1,600 tons.
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16 Sep 2022
Amogy Ammonia-to-power System Receives LR Approval in Principle
Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Amogy said its ammonia-to-power system has received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society Lloyd’s Register, marking a key step toward the zero-emission solution's commercial use in maritime vessels. The system cracks liquid ammonia to hydrogen, which is then used to generate electrical power through proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells.With the AIP in hand…
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12 Sep 2022
Hydrogen One: Innovative Towboat Set to Shake Things Up in the US
Rarely does a vessel come along with the potential to radically change the way an industry operates, but one such vessel is set to hit the water in 2023.This new vessel, a towboat named Hydrogen One, is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the largest lessor of marine equipment in the U.S. It will be the first of its kind globally to run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator…
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01 Sep 2022
London Fire Brigade Adds Two New Fireboats
The London Fire Brigade has added a pair of new fireboats on the Thames as part of a £40 million investment made by City Hall to expand the Brigade’s fleet of equipment and vehicles.The new 16.2-meter-long boats, Tanner and Errington, are named after Auxiliary Fireman Harry Errington and Auxiliary Firewoman Gillian Tanner, who in the Second World War were both awarded medals for bravery. The call signs for the boats are H23A and H23B…
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31 Aug 2022
Royal Caribbean Will Be Industry's First to Use SpaceX’s Starlink High-speed Internet
Royal Caribbean Group this week revealed it will be the industry's first cruise ship operator to implement SpaceX’s Starlink for onboard broadband internet service for guests and crew fleetwide.The cruise giant said on Tuesday it will immediately begin installing Starlink high-speed, low-latency connectivity on all Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises ships, along with all new vessels for each of its brands going forward.
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29 Aug 2022
ACBL to Operate Maritime Partners' Innovative Hydrogen One Towboat
Jeffersonville, Ind.-headquartered marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) is expected to operate Hydrogen One, a first-of-its-kind towboat that will run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology—without diesel propulsion.The groundbreaking vessel is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the U.S.' largest lessor of marine equipment, and will be built by Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, La.
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23 Aug 2022
General Average Declared for Fire-stricken Zim Charleston
General average has been declared for the ZIM Charleston after stacks of containers caught fire on board the vessel earlier this month.The fire broke out in a cargo hold while the Seaspan-owned containership was navigating off Colombo, Sri Lanka on August 8. It has been reported that approximately 300 containers may have been affected by fire, heat and smoke, as well as water damage from firefighting…
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18 Aug 2022
Photos: Inside Expedition Cruise Ship National Geographic Islander ll
Lindblad Expeditions has shared images of its newest fleet addition ahead of the vessel's inaugural voyage in the Galápagos Islands.The National Geographic Islander ll is an expedition cruise ship acquired to replace Lindblad Expeditions' vessel National Geographic Islander for year-round operations in the Galápagos. Accommodating just 48 guests in 26 suites, the ship will sail for Lindblad Expeditions with a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratioThe 3…
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15 Aug 2022
Passenger Jumps from San Francisco Bay Ferry
A passenger is missing after reportedly jumping from a ferry that was underway in the Oakland Estuary on Sunday afternoon.A witness alerted the captain of the 400-passenger ferry Carina…
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11 Aug 2022
Diana Shipping Buys Sea Trade's Bulker Fleet for $330 Million
Greek shipowner Diana Shipping on Thursday announced it has acquired the bulk carrier fleet of U.S.-based Sea Trade Holdings in a $330 million cash and shares deal.The nine ultramax vessels…
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04 Aug 2022
Manor Renewable Energy's New CTVs Pass Sea Trials
Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine said the two new crew transfer vessels (CTV) it has built for U.K. services firm Manor Renewable Energy Ltd (MRE) have passed sea trials.The 27.1-meter aluminum catamarans, Manor Victor and Manor Vulcan, are the first in the builder's new StratCat 27 (SC 27) range, designed in collaboration with BMT and unveiled in May 2021. CTVs are typically used to ferry…
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03 Aug 2022
Lindblad Expeditions Takes Delivery of National Geographic Islander II
Lindblad Expeditions has take delivery of the secondhand expedition cruise ship National Geographic Islander II.The vessel, which was previously named Crystal Esprit and operated by Crystal Cruises, will sail year-round in the Galápagos Islands, replacing Lindblad Expeditions' vessel National Geographic Islander.The 3,370 GT, 280-foot-long ship was built by Flender Werft in Germany from 1989-1991 and…